Happy Birthday Lillian!

Today is the birthday of Lillian Wald, credited with the founding the field of public health nursing. Lillian Wald was born to a life of privilege yet found her calling in nursing. Summoned to help a sick woman by a little girl, Lillian walked through a battered neighborhood and into a filthy tenement house to tend to the woman's needs. Afterward Wald wrote,"that morning's experience was a baptism of fire. Deserted were the laboratory and academic work of college. I never returned to them... I rejoiced that I had a training in the care of the sick that in itself would give me an organic relationship to the neighborhood in which this awakening had come." 

Much is said today about social determinants of health and the "Lifecourse" perspective. This visionary nurse had it right many years ago when she helped to establish banks, libraries, vocational training and clubs all in addition to physical and mental health services. Her Henry Street Settlement lives on today, more than one hundred years after its inception. 

In Rock County we too are involved on our own Henry Street. Our public health nurses have a home base on Henry and Riverside Street in Beloit, WI. We go out from there to serve the whole person, honoring the memory and carrying on the tradition of this great lady. 

Happy Birthday Lillian!

PHNs and the future of the field

I can't believe I haven't been on this blog for a year! I promise to do better in 2012! I had the pleasure of learning that I have been invited to the Robert Wood Johnson Forum on the Future of Public Health Nursing in February. I still don't know why I was chosen, but this is a very nice opportunity to hear from others in the field and also add my 2 cents!

I have been thinking on this recently. What is the most important skill our nurses need to acquire to be successful in this field? What keeps coming to mind is the skill of persuasion and the ability to 'bounce back" from adversity and resistance. A kind of professional "resilience". Whether we are visiting a client one on one or engaging in a population health endeavor it is a very likely thing that we will be discussing health with someone who...well who doesn't buy it. Nursing school doesn't often teach us how to roll with the punches and press on after conflict. Success in public health requires it!

Likely we will not affect our community in a single encounter. Persuasion, persistence, positivity!

Getting Ready for a Job Interview?

I went out this morning with my Health Officer Karen to discuss the process of interviewing for a new job. The audience was a group of final semester BSN students ready to launch into the world of nursing. Karen did a great job of sharing what makes a GREAT impression in an interview. The high points were:
Do a little self-reflection and realize which talents will equip you for the RIGHT nursing career.
Dress professionally
Bring a (brief) portfolio tailored to what makes YOU right for the job
Be positive about your past job experiences
Answer the questions honestly
Realize that even if you do everything correctly you may not win the job. In that case...follow up! You may have another shot at it in the future!

I added my own insights from past interviews. Namely:
Leave any discussion of benefits, vacation, time off, etc. Until AFTER you have an offer on the table
Learn how to shake hands (manager tools has a great podcast on this here), and introduce yourself. Be enthusiastic and energetic!

Hopefully we spoke to some future public health nurses in the room!